Ernst weber



(No Model.)

E. WEBER. COMBINED CANE AND UMBRELLA.

.Patented Oot. 10, 1 893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNST WEBER, OF RIEHEN, SVITZERLAND.

COMBINED CANE AND UMBRELLA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,289, dated October10, 1893.

Application filed June 7, 1892. Serial No.435,912. (No model.) Patentedin Germany August 20, 1889; NO- 2 in France August 29,1889,No. 200,476;in Switzerland March 24,1890, No. 2,003: in EnglandApi-il 18, 1890, No.5,932, and in Belgium November 10, 1890, No. 92,662.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST WEBER, a citizen of the Swiss Republic, and aresident of Riehen, near Basle, Switzerland, have invented an ImprovedCombined Walking-Stick and Umbrella, (for which patents have beengranted in Switzerland, No. 2,003, dated March 24, 1890; in Germany, No.52,637, dated August 20, 1889; in Great Britain, No. 5,932, dated April18, 1890, in France, No. 200,476, dated August 29, 1889; and in Belgium,No. 92,662, dated November 10, 1890,) of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to that class of umbrellas in which the coveringis removable from the ribs and the latter with the other parts of theframe is removable from the stick to be folded together and insertedinto a cavity in the latter to convert the umbrella into a walkingstick.

The principal object of the improved construction hereinafter describedand claimed is to enable the frame when folded to be insorted into acavity in the stick of very small diameter especially toward the handlewhere formerly the construction of frames have necessitated acomparatively wide cavity and therefore a correspondingly bulky stick.

In the annexed sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional viewillustrating the stick with frame thereon the latter partially opened.Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the frame fully open, and in dottedlines other positions of the frame. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing theframe closed to the stick, Fig. 4 shows the frame alone, apart from thestick, folded together with the ribs inside and the stretchers outside.In all these figures only two ribs with their corresponding parts areillustrated. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the stick showing the cavityto receive the frame when folded inside out as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6is a plan view of the frame when open. Fig. 7 is a detail view on alarger scale of the runner and stretcher connecting pieces.

The frame is made detachable from thestick and consists of theribsapivoted in the crown b in such a way that each rib may be movedthrough at least two right angles, the runner g, the stretchers o c andtheintermediate connecting pieces f, which constitute an importantfeature of this invention. There are two stre tchers to each rib thesebeing pivoted to the ribs at the same point and made of flexible steel.The two adjacent stretchers, one on one rib and the other on the nextrib are connected as a pair to an intermediate connecting piece f commonto both. Each of these connecting pieces f is pivoted at its inner endto the runner g at 1' and to the two stretchers at its outer end at h.The shape of the piecesf is as shown in Fig. 7 namely curved downwardlyor outwardly so that when the ribs are folded together back to back asin Fig. 4 the pieces fwill pass around the crown b and allow thestretchers c c to lie flat to the ribs a a, and the latter also to bemade so that they lie close together and the whole occupies but a verysmall diameter from almost immediately under the crown. In this positionthe frame may be inserted in the hollow m in the stick (Fig. 5) and asuitable handle secured to the latter.

When the frame is stretched as in Fig. 6 the stretchers c 0 becomecurved as shown and hold the ribs firmly but with elasticity. When inuse the crown b may be secured in a suitable manner to the stick forinstance by a bayonet fastening or by screw threads. The usual spring Zholdsthe frame distended as in an ordinary umbrella.

It will be understood that to obtaina frame which when turned inside outready to be thrust in the stick will occupy the Very smallest diameterright away from the points of the ribs at one end to as near as possibleto the crown at the other end, it is desirable to so connect thestretchers to the ribs that when so folded the stretchers do not lieoutside the ribs. .This invention effects this since the thin stretchershere used lie between the ribs when closed, their thinness andconsequent lateral spring however necessitating some device forstrengthening them when the umbrella is open. The herein describedmethod of pairing the stretchers allows this to be done and even takesadvantage of the spring bending of the stretchers to make themmoresecure for it will be obvious that each pair of stretchers bendingoutward in a double bow cushions against the corresponding adjacentstretchers of the next pair, which affords mutual support. In this waythe resiliency of the stretcher due to its thinness, which thisinvention requires to obtain compactness, is entirely freed fromdrawback which a stretcher of the ordinary straight kind would possessif made so thin as is here required.

I do not claim a removable frame or one capable of being inserted in ahollow stick nor do I claim broadly the double or spring stretchers c,a, but

I claim as my invention- The combination of a hollow umbrella stick withan umbrella frame detachable therefrom and adapted to be inserted in thesaid stick the said frame comprising essentiallyin comend to the outerends of the intermediate 1 pieces aforesaid substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

' In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ERNST WEBER.

Witnesses:

Gno acn GIFFORD, I. KUHN.

